Читать книгу Ford Mustang 1964 1/2 - 1973 - Frank Bohanan - Страница 5

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’d like to thank my family and friends for supporting me during this book project. Due to several other challenges while writing it, they really helped me see it through. I’d also like to thank the many companies that provided information and essential support. Without this support, I would not have been able to write a book that is so comprehensive and valuable.

I’d especially like to thank Ron Bramlett of Mustangs Plus for his vision and efforts to promote the “restomodding” of first-generation Mustangs. They’re as close as it gets to being a one-stop shop for this type of car.

Finally, I’d like to dedicate this book to my dad. Even though he was too busy to get heavily involved in hot rodding, his love of cars surely rubbed off on me from a very young age. He didn’t live to see this book get finished but he had a lot to do with it getting done.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this book is to show you a spectrum of options for improving the performance of each component group in your classic 1964½–1973 Mustang. I specifically show you how to upgrade your Mustang to three distinct levels: the daily driver, the high-performance street car, and the streetable track-day car. By utilizing three specific vehicle types as examples I am able to better tailor the recommended modifications to the intended use of the vehicle. This not only saves time and money for the projects you choose, but it also explains why a particular modification or upgrade was chosen. In addition, I also show how the job is accomplished when the installation process differs significantly from that of the stock component(s) being replaced.

The daily driver vehicle receives budget-oriented products and modifications for moderately improved driveability, reliability, durability, and performance. The high-performance street car is the next level up. Handling, acceleration, braking, and engine performance are significantly improved by choosing a compatible and complementary set of upgrades. The high-performance street car often evolves into the third vehicle type, which is the streetable track-day car. This type of car maximizes performance for both the road and track. It is still street legal and practical for limited use on public roads.

I discuss various upgrade options within a given vehicle system and then recommend a typical approach using products that are consistent with it. Throughout this book I take a systems integration approach so the various parts installed are compatible with one another, regardless of their manufacturer. This is meant to achieve the highest performance in the most simple and cost-effective way.